Hayao Miyazaki, considered the Walt Disney of Japan, and director of such film's as Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, introduced America to Japanimation with My Neighbor Totoro, which was hailed by many as an animation masterpiece. It tells the story of two happy-go-lucky little sisters who move with their father to the country, to be near their ailing mother. In their new home, they have imaginative adventures and eventually meet the title character, a huge fluffy cat. I wouldn't go so far as to hail this a masterpiece. The animation is nice and there are some touching moments. Yet, the film is slow, slow to the point that it can be called stultifying, and although I usually admire films that take this approach, I think its the wrong move for a film geared so much towards children. Still, there is much to admire in this film.
***
__THISRES__76018.jpg)
